


Night Stalker

by pharmtechgirl71



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Anger, Delusions, Depression, F/M, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Obsession, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sadness, Stalking, Suicide Attempt, This is very dark, feelings of hopelessness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-28 09:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 16,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5086066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pharmtechgirl71/pseuds/pharmtechgirl71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl is mentally unstable, but functioning. He falls in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KrissyG927](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrissyG927/gifts).



> This is for my beautiful friend KrissyG927. I love you sweetheart! Hope this exceeds your expectations.

Daryl popped the top on his Coke can and lit a cigarette. He had found the perfect place tonight, a place cloaked in darkness. The engine was off and only crickets could be heard in the distance. He settled at the base of a tall oak tree and watched as her bedroom light came on. His dick had been waiting for this moment all day, all day everyday for the past two weeks. He followed her home every night to make sure she got there safely, then he would hang out for a while and watch her relax. 

She had her routine. Get the mail, feed the dog, then shower. He enjoyed watching her undress, and always made sure he was ready by the time that light came on. Sometimes he wondered if she knew he was watching because she always took her time, giving him a show without acknowledging it.

The first thing she always did was take her hair down. She wore it wrapped up in a giant clip for work and would free it as soon as she could. He loved watching it cascade down her back, she would shake it out and then brush it. He imagined sitting behind her at the vanity brushing it for her, he knew that it smelled like lavender and inhaled deeply hoping to recall the smell as he watched her. The dark red color played in his vision. He could see it contrasted with the color of his skin as he ran his fingers through it, and felt it soft as silk as it rested against his bare chest.

When she began to undress, he prepared himself, stubbing out his smoke and unzipping his pants, his own nightly ritual about to begin. She unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide off her perfectly sculptured shoulders, revealing a lace bra matching her hair color. He gripped himself and ran his thumb over the tip, his body shivering at the contact. Her pants were soon disposed of and thrown into the laundry basket, unveiling matching lace panties. He realized that he had been with her all day and she had been wearing those the whole time. It made him even harder and his hand picked up the pace.  
She unclasped her bra and removed it. With her back to him, he envisioned coming up behind her and wrapping her up in his arms. He would caress her soft skin and run his hands up to her breasts, pinching her nipples making her moan. She then bent over, pushing her panties down her beautiful legs. The sight of her bare ass had him erupting like a volcano. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, because if he didn't, he would have screamed her name for the whole world to hear.

Then she disappeared into the hallway. He sat at the base of the tree trying to catch his breath and lit another cigarette. It always took him a while to recover after watching her. After his cigarette was finished, he tucked himself back into his blue polyester work pants and mounted his bike. Tomorrow he would stay long enough to see her return from her shower and he would have a new vision of her in a damp towel


	2. Chapter 2

"You're late again Dixon!" Thomas yelled at him as he ran through the front door heading into the stockroom to clock in. 

"I know sir, sorry." He said as he ran passed the customer service desk. He had been some degree of tardy ever since she started working there. He had followed her home that very first night, and had been getting less and less sleep since. He bounded through the double doors and grabbed his time card, slamming it into the machine. 

"Wow Dixon, you're only twenty minutes late today. You get up early this morning?" Gareth, the asshole assistant store manager said as he slapped Daryl on the back. 

"Don't touch me asshole," he growled.

"You know this is becoming a problem, right? Your shift begins at three, that's when Patrick leaves. Kristin was without a bag boy for twenty minutes. Today is senior discount day. Those old biddies have been driving her crazy and she's had to bag all the groceries herself. I suggest you apologize to her and get to work." 

Daryl was livid and it took all his mental stability to keep from throat punching that geek to death. He didn't say a word, just walked around him and back into the store. When he got to the front, Thomas the store manager was standing by Kristin's register talking to her. When he saw Daryl approach, he indicated that he wanted the man to follow him to his office. As he passed by the pretty cashier she gave him a warm smile that made his dick twitch. 

"Have a seat Daryl. You're not in trouble and I'm not gonna fire you, I'm just concerned. You've worked here for three years and have never been late and now you've been late for the last two weeks. Is anything wrong? Is there anything you need or anything I can do to help?"

Daryl was anxious now and his thumb went straight into his mouth. "No sir, nothing's wrong. I just haven't been able to sleep lately. I got a lot on my mind."

"Are you still taking your meds? When are you seeing your psychiatrist next?"

Daryl huffed, "Yes I'm still taking my meds, wouldn't have shown up at all if I wasn't. I'm seeing her tomorrow morning. Why?"

Tom sat in the shitty chair behind his desk. "I'm worried about you. This isn't like you. I know you have problems, but you've always been a great employee. I was told not to hire you because of your diagnosis, but I said fuck it. Your just as capable as any other man to do that shit job, but you seem a little off lately, and I'm worried."

"Thanks, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help me. This is kind of a personal thing," Daryl said. He was anxious to get out of this office and see her.

"Ask your doctor if she can do anything to help you sleep, okay? Promise me."

"Yeah, I will. Can I get to work now? Gareth says I need to apologize to Kristin for being late and making her bag all those groceries by herself."

"Yeah, go on. Don't let that little prick intimidate you Daryl. He has no authority here."

"Thank you sir, and I won't , trust me." He hurried out the door and made a beeline to the check out station. "I'm really sorry I'm late Kristin. I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately and I couldn't wake up this afternoon." God, just saying her name made him hard.

She gave him that same beautiful smile she always did, the one that was only his. "It's okay Daryl. It wasn't that bad, nothing I couldn't handle. Don't worry about it and don't listen to Gareth. He's been in a bad mood since I got here." Her line was currently empty, so Daryl tried to start a conversation.

"Thanks, but I'm still sorry I'm late. You shouldn't have to do all that work by yourself. Half of that is my job." He wondered what color her bra and panties were today. " Uh, are ya having a good day? I mean, besides having to do all that work."

"It's been pretty good so far. Wish I could've stayed home today though. I think I'm getting a cold. I've been sneezing a lot and my throat is a little sore."

"I'm sorry to hear that. The weather is changing and that makes a lot of people sick. Is there anything I can do or get for ya?" he asked. He wanted so badly to comfort her and take care of her. 

He didn't stop himself from reaching out and touching her arm. The electricity that ran through his body physically shook him, "If you need or want anything, I'll get it for you. I'll take care of you Kristin."

She felt a little uncomfortable with his presentation, but his intentions were comforting. She knew he was different, but that in itself didn't mean anything to her. He was always eager to help her when she needed it, and he was kind and respectful to her. "Thank you Daryl. You're always so good to me."

He looked her deep in the eyes, "You deserve to be treated like a queen Kristin. You shouldn't have to work as hard as you do." She was ready to end this conversation right now.

"That's very sweet thing to say, but I'm not special. I have to work just like everybody else." Lucky for her, an old couple came to her check out lane, and her conversation with Daryl was halted. He seemed like a very genuine guy, a sweet guy, but he was very strange. 

 

Two hours later it was time for break. Daryl always went out back by the dumpster to smoke. Today he sat crouched in the corner between it and the fence thinking about how soft her skin had felt under his fingertips. He loved bagging at her aisle, he got to see her smile and hear her laugh. She was the kindest, most beautiful woman he had ever known. No one had ever been kind to him, especially women. They always laughed at him and humiliated him, but not her. She was an angel sent to him as an apology from a god that had seen fit to destroy his life. He knew that she loved him. He could tell by the way she talked to him and always had a smile for him. 

As he pushed through the back door to the stockroom, he heard voices, Gareth and Kristin. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be too friendly with him. He's dangerous, he's unhinged. You know he spent time in a mental home, right?" he heard asshat say.

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" he heard her reply. "Does that mean he doesn't deserve to be treated like a human being? He's been nice to me since the first day I started working here. He helps me when I need it, and I'm in love with him."

Daryl's eyes rolled to the back of his head when he heard her say that in her soft, sexy voice. He knew she was afraid to admit it to him, but now that he had confirmation of her devotion, he would make sure she felt safe enough to tell him to his face.

He let the back door close hard behind him, to alert the two of his presence. "Dixon!" asshat yelled as he walked past them. "Some kid threw up in aisle four. Clean it up." He saw Kristin give Gareth a go to hell look and smiled. She was just as protective of him as he was of her. When he returned the mop and bucket to the backroom, he took a moment to himself. He had to figure out a way to let Kristin know she could tell him the truth, she had to know that he would die before giving her up.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

 

The next day Daryl was actually up and ready to go pretty early. He was seeing Dr. Harrison at nine thirty and was excited to tell her about his new girlfriend Kristin. He arrived at her office twenty five minutes early and was smiling and tapping his foot to an invisible beat. Maggie, the receptionist went into the doctor's private office to let her know he was there. "He seems happy today Andrea. He's smiling and humming to himself. He's even wearing new clothes I think, and cologne. He smells good."

"That's so good to hear. I've been worried about him since our last session. Maybe he's got something good to share with me."

He sat down in the cushy chair designated for patients, and Andrea started her recorder. "You look good Daryl. How have you been?"

"Well, I haven't been sleeping a lot lately, but that's okay, I ain't complaining. It's worth it."

"Do you know the cause of your insomnia," Dr. Harrison asked.

He blushed, "I met a woman. She's so pretty and kind, and she loves me."

"Well Daryl, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you. Tell me all about her. Where did you meet?"

Daryl swallowed hard, preparing his words. "We met at work. She's the new cashier, started a couple weeks ago. I been taking her home every night, making sure she gets there safe. I think about her all the time, dream about her. She stands up for me, she don't let Gareth talk shit about me, and yesterday she told me she loves me."

"That's amazing! I'm so happy for you! Maybe I'll get to meet her someday?"

"Well, sure. But it might be a while. We haven't told nobody yet. She wants it to be just us for a while, before we let other people in on it. I kinda like that idea, it's like a secret only she and I know. It's kinda cool."

Andrea was smiling now too. "It's so good to see that smile on your face. I didn't think I ever would." The rest of their hour was spent discussing different strategies to help him sleep and how he was getting along with Gareth. Daryl left with a list of relaxation techniques and even more hatred for asshat than he had before, if that was possible. Andrea walked with him back to the lobby and scheduled his appointment for next month. "It's so good to see you smiling Daryl," Maggie said before he left.

"It's good to be smiling Maggie. See ya next month."

As soon as he was gone, Maggie turned to her boss, "Okay, spill. What's going on?"

"I'm worried again. This wasn't a good session." After a moment of thought she said, "Let's close up shop for a while. I need to go to the grocery store."

 

Daryl had the rest of the day off and a little money in his pocket. He decided to stop off at the herbal store on his way home. His granddaddy had recipes for homemade cold remedies and he wanted to get some things for Kristin. He grabbed Echinacea, goldenseal, eucalyptus and tea tree oil, and hyssop. He passed a display of hemp jewelry and stopped to take a look. There was a beautiful necklace with a single turquoise stone hanging from it. It would look stunning against her skin. He took it off the hook and went to the front to pay for his items.

 

Andrea and Maggie took a shopping cart from the front of the store and headed down the first aisle. They were inadvertently throwing items in and looking around trying to find a young woman named Kristin. "He said she was a cashier, she'll be at the front of the store. Just grab some snacks and maybe a six pack. If she's real, I'm gonna need a drink," Andrea said as she steered the cart around the store.

"If she is real, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna talk to her?" Maggie asked as she threw a bag of Kit Kats into the cart.

"I don't know. I'll think about that later." When their basket was half full, they made their way to the cash registers. There was only one lane open and it was manned by a pretty girl with long, red hair. "We can bag our own stuff if you need us to," Maggie said as the scanner beeped ringing up the items.

"That's okay. I can do it. Daryl, the guy who works my line is off today, but y'all don't have much. Won't take no time," the girl who's name tag said Kristin told them. After they loaded the bags into Andrea's Mercedes, they sat in the car for a while.

"So, she's real. What's next?" Maggie asked.

"I want to think that what he told me is true, but I can't assume it. I'll keep in touch with him, see if there are any changes in his personality or behavior."

"It breaks my heat Andrea. He doesn't deserve this. He's such a good, kind man. He needs someone like her, but it won't happen for him, will it?"

"I don't know Maggie. I wish it would."

 

Daryl stayed up to watch the newest episode of that show he liked, the one that had a different storyline every season. He probably shouldn't watch something like that, Dr. Harrison would say it would trigger him, but it hadn't yet and it was the most creatively written and designed show he had ever seen. 

The store would be closing soon and he had to get there before she left so he could give her the presents he bought for her. He put the items in his saddlebag and took off. It took him five minutes to get there and he parked his bike next to her car and waited. When she walked out, asshat was with her. He didn't want to deal with him right now and hoped that he wasn't going to walk Kristin all the way to her car. They stood outside the front door talking until Gareth turned away from her and got into his car. The parking lot was dimly lit and he wasn't sure if she would be able to see him or not, so when she got close enough, he announced himself.

"Hi Kristin, how are you feeling?" 

"Daryl? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be trying to sleep?"

"I was just thinking about you. You said you were sick and I just wanted to know if you were feeling any better."

"Thank you Daryl. That's very sweet and thoughtful. I still feel sick, my throat is getting worse and I can't breathe through my nose very well."

He reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a couple of the items he had purchased. "My granddad used to make homemade cold remedies from herbs and stuff. I bought some of the ingredients and thought I could show you how to fix them. I don't like you being sick."

She was surprised, but also flattered by his concern. "Thank you. You didn't have to buy this stuff, or go out of your way to bring them to me, but I appreciate it. Is there a recipe to follow?"

"Yeah, but it's not hard to make. I can follow you back to your house and show you how to do it." She felt a little creeped out by his suggestion, but she desperately wanted to feel better and he was a kind and thoughtful man. She didn't want him to think she didn't appreciate the effort he had made to help her get better.

"Okay, you can follow me. It's not far." Before she was able to turn away from him he reached out and took her hand.

"I'm gonna take care of you, you'll feel better in no time."


	4. Chapter 4

He heard the dog barking when they pulled into the driveway. "You go ahead and feed him, I'll get your mail." He didn't realize that he had just admitted to knowing her routine, but fortunately she didn't notice.

He sat her mail in the same spot she always did and put the herbals on the kitchen counter. "What is all this stuff?" she asked, picking up bottles to look at them. "The Echinacea and goldenseal boost your immune system. Boil the eucalyptus oil in two cups of water and breath the steam to get rid of your nasal congestion. Make tea out of the hyssop as an expectorant for chest congestion, and mix the tee tree oil with water and gargle it for your sore throat."

"I'm impressed Daryl," Kristin said, still looking at the bottles. "I didn't know you knew about herbal medicine. This is amazing, I've always wanted to learn about this stuff."

"My granddaddy taught me about all this stuff," he said as he pulled a sauce pan from under the stove and filled it with water. "His daddy was a Cherokee medicine man. He wanted me to know who I came from, so he passed it all down to me. I can teach ya about it. You can find some things in the woods still, but other stuff you gotta go to the store for."

"How long will it take to make all this?"

"Long enough for water to boil, a little longer for the tea. Why?"

"I'd like to take a shower. I'll only be ten minutes, is that okay?"

He turned around to face her and looked her up and down with dark eyes. "Go take your shower," he said in a suddenly deep and strained voice. "I'll be here when you get out and everything will be ready for you."

As soon as he heard her bathroom door close, he took off his boots and walked through the house. He went directly to her bedroom and looked around. He could hear the shower running and knew he had to be quick. He scanned the room, it was very comforting and feminine. Walking to her laundry hamper, he searched through her dirty clothes until he found them, the red bra and panty set from the other night. He was taking something from her, but also wanted to leave something of his for her. Eyeing a pair of scissors on the vanity, he cut a small bit of hair from the back of his head. He laid it on the nightstand next to her bed and left.

He slipped back outside to his bike, slipped the stolen items into the saddlebag and took out the necklace; he had wrapped it in tissue paper with a turquoise ribbon holding it together. He shoved it in his pocket and went back inside. He heard the water turn off when he walked into the kitchen. When the bathroom door opened, he closed his eyes and let his head roll back on his shoulders. He could smell her shampoo, lavender, wafting through the house. He gripped himself through his jeans and moaned low and deep in his chest. He could walk back there, rip the towel off her body and take her right then and there. His dick was hard and talking to him, telling him to do it. He was halfway there when he realized that he didn't want to have her this way. He wanted her to come to him, beg him to touch her, please her, and make her come. He wanted their first time together to be special. This relationship was so new for both of them, they had plenty of time to get to know each other more intimately. He wanted to enjoy taking it slow.

He went back into the kitchen and prepared the hyssop tea, it would take five minutes to steep and she could do the breathing treatment while she waited. She was wearing a pair of grey track pants and a long sleeved grey fitted t-shirt when she returned. Her hair was damp and flowing down her back. She looked like an angel.

"Is the tea ready yet?" she asked walking toward the stove.

"It's got five minutes, in the meantime you can breathe in this steam. It will open up your sinus passages and you'll be able to breathe. The shower probably helped a bit, but that won't last long. The eucalyptus oil works longer." She stepped in front of the stove and smelled the concoction Daryl had made. She stood so close to him, he could have touched her silky hair. "Your hair looks beautiful down, but you should put it up, don't want it to fall on the burner."

"Right, didn't think about that. Thanks." She pulled a clip from the pocket of her pants and rolled her hair up into a messy bun. She turned her face to him, "This good enough?" she asked him.

He swallowed hard. "Yeah . . . perfect." She bent her upper body slightly so the steam would warm her face but not burn her. He boldly stepped behind her and put his hands on her back. She jumped when she felt his touch. "Just relax. Being sick stresses your body out. Your full of knots, just let me take care of it." 

"Daryl, I think you should go home." she quietly told him. She didn't want to upset him, but she was feeling uncomfortable.

"What do you mean? You don't want me here? Are you getting rid of me?" His heart rate increased and his eyesight blurred.

"No Daryl," she tried to calm him down, " it's pretty late and I know you've been having a hard time sleeping. I don't want to be responsible for keeping you up. You need your sleep. I worry about you too."

He took her words as genuine and removed his hands. "Really? You worry about me?"

"Of course I do, we're friends aren't we?" She turned off the burner and dabbed her face with a towel. "I promise I'll drink the tea and do the gargle before I go to bed. That steam has already made me feel better and I'm sure the tea will sooth my throat. Please Daryl, don't be mad." 

He saw her batting her eyes at him. He felt her hands take his and squeeze them tight. He felt her lips against his. "I ain't mad. Could never be mad at you. No one's ever been worried about me, thank you. I'll leave all this for you. See ya tomorrow." He put his hands in his pockets and felt the necklace, he had forgotten about it. "I almost forgot, I got this for you." He held the necklace out to her.

"Daryl, you didn't have to do this. You shouldn't have done this." He unclasped it and walked behind her.

"Why not? It will look great on you. I wanted to get you something pretty." She let him put it around her neck. He stood in front of her and admired it. "You look beautiful Kristin."

"Thank you Daryl. It's very beautiful. Turquoise is one of my favorite colors."

"Alright, I guess I better go. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night." She moved to close the door behind him and he took her hand. "Promise me that you'll let me know if you need or want anything."

"I will Daryl." She locked the door tight as she heard his motorcycle revving and watched him leave.

 


	5. Chapter 5

"He's sweet and nice. He always helps me when I need it, he's just a little strange. I don't think he has any friends. I can't not be nice to the guy. He bought me herbal medicine for my cold. He showed me how to make it and he bought me this really cute hemp necklace. I don't want to hurt his feelings. He deserves better than that." Kristin was talking to her brother who still lived back in New Jersey. She had moved to Georgia to go to college and never went home.

"You gotta be careful Krissy. You don't really know anything about him, he could be a psychopathic serial killer. If he doesn't have any friends, there's probably a good reason."

"Stop it Tony. He just has a little crush, that's all. He's socially awkward, doesn't know how to relate to people, especially women. I don't know what his background is, he probably had a bad childhood. You know how kids are around people who are different, and some kids never grow up. He deserves to have a friend, someone he can trust, and I think he chose me."

"That may not be a good thing. If anything happens you call me, you understand?"

"Yes dad. I'm almost thirty four years old dipshit, I can take care of myself. Thanks for your concern though."

"I love you sis. I'll jump on a plane at a moments notice, you know that."

"Yeah, I know that. Tell Sheila and Ronnie I love them. Love you too big bro."

 

Kristin had laid awake last night replaying Daryl's visit in her mind. He did creep her out sometimes, but he didn't scare her. He was kinda cute, in an odd way. His hair hung in his eyes and he always wore that vest with the angel wings on the back. She had never seen him talking to anyone unless they had engaged him first, except for her. He was always asking how she was and how her day was going. He obviously felt comfortable around her and that made her feel good. It seemed to her that comfort wasn't something he'd had a lot of. 

She was feeling better this morning, the steam kept her sinuses clear most of the night, and although both the tea and the gargle tasted like a shit river, her throat and chest were feeling better too. She would have to thank him again, he'll be happy to know that his remedies are working. 

As she sat at the vanity fixing her hair, she noticed something laying on the ground by her bed. It looked like dog hair at first, but as she got closer she could tell that it didn't come from her dog. The hair on the floor was black, her dog was a sandy blonde color. She threw it in the trash can in the bathroom thinking that she would have to brush her dog more often, he was bringing home other dog's hair.

She arrived at work twenty minutes early and saw that Daryl's motorcycle was parked at the side of the building. She was hoping that meant he had gotten a good nights sleep. She heard some commotion behind the building and someone cursing.

"God fucking dammit! I fucking told that asshat to get that fixed. Fuck this hurts like a bitch!"

When she rounded the corner, she saw Daryl in his work uniform cradling his right arm. "Oh my god Daryl what happened? Are you okay?" She asked running up to him.

"Goddamn hinge snapped and the fucking dumpster lid fell on my arm. It's broken." She very gently touched the skin on is forearm and he jerked his body away from her. "Don't touch it. It hurts so fucking bad."

"Sorry, I just wanted to look at it. How do you know it's broken? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I know what a broken arm feels like. Had a few when I was a kid." He didn't move any closer to her, but didn't run away like he wanted to. The pain was intense and he was having flashbacks from his childhood.

"You need to go to the hospital Daryl. You have to get that x-rayed and set. I'll go tell Thomas I'm driving you to the emergency room. Here are my keys, go get in, I'll just be a few minutes."

He started screaming like a banshee, "No! No hospitals, you know that! They'll find out! They'll make it worse! Please, no hospital."  
He was beginning to sob now and Kristin was freaking out, she didn't know what to do. Thomas came running out the back door to see what was going on.

"What the hell is going on out here?"

"The dumpster lit fell on his arm. He says it's broken. I told him I was taking him to the hospital and he started screaming at me."

Thomas walked up to him, "Daryl you're at work, you've been hurt. You need to go to the hospital. No one is gonna find out about anything, I'll make sure of that. You let Kristin take you to the emergency room and I'll call Dr. Harrison, let her know what happened. Daryl, did you hear me? Do you understand?"

He stared at the man blankly. He recognized Thomas and knew where he was, but the pain and memories were playing with his mind. He looked at Kristin, she was crying. He had scared her and that made him even angrier, but that was on him and his stupid mind. He forgot about his own pain for a moment and went to her. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. We can go to the hospital now. I'll be good, I promise." He walked to her car, still cradling his arm and waited for her to unlock the door.

Thomas called Dr. Harrison as soon as they drove off. He told her what happened and how distressed Daryl had become, and she dropped everything and went to meet them at the ER. Because of the distressed state Daryl was in when they arrived, the nurse had immediately taken him back to triage. Kristin was sitting by the entrance when Andrea got there, she was still shaking and crying. The doctor went straight to the front desk, "My name is Dr. Andrea Harrison. My patient Daryl Dixon was just brought in. I need to see him immediately."

The nurse wasn't impressed. "Have a seat. I'll have to check with the the doctor to see if it's okay for you to go back there."

Andrea was livid. "I am his psychiatrist. I understand he arrived in a state of agitation. I. Need. To. See. Him. Now"

The nurse jumped out of her chair without a word and ran to the back. She returned one minute later and escorted Dr. Harrison to Daryl's room. He was sobbing and yelling at the staff , she could hear him down the hall. "Daryl, I'm here. Everything is going to be okay. You need to let them give you some medicine and x-ray you. I'm right here and I'm not leaving you."

He looked up at her, his eyes red and wet. "Dr. Harrison? It hurts so bad. Why does this keep happening to me?" Andrea almost started crying.

"I don't know Daryl, but you have to cooperate. They will make the pain go away. Did Kristin drive you here? Do you want me to go talk to her? She's probably worried."

"Oh my god! I forgot about her. How could I forget about her?" He was getting hysterical again. The ER doctor prepared a syringe and injected it into Daryl's arm when he wasn't looking. Whatever he had been given worked fast, because his body began to relax and he laid back onto the bed with his eyes closed.

"I'm going to go talk to his friend, I'll be right back," Andrea told the doctor and went back out to the waiting room. She found Kristin quickly and introduced herself. "I'm Andrea Harrison, Daryl's psychiatrist. You're Kristin aren't you?"

"Yes I am. Psychiatrist? Is he going to be okay? He scared the shit out of me."

"He's going to be fine. He's been given a sedative so he can be x-rayed and have his arm set. I'm going to call your manager and let him know what is going on, I don't want Daryl going back to work for a few days. He needs to recuperate. I'm gonna go check on him, I told him I wouldn't leave. You should go back to work, he'll want to see you, but I want him in a better mental state when he does."

She felt a little better after what the psychiatrist told her. "Alright, but I have one question. How do you know who I am? I remember seeing you at the store yesterday, but we didn't talk."

Andrea touched her shoulder in a comforting way, "He told me all about you."


	6. Chapter 6

Kristin was exhausted by the time she got back to work. She had been gone for two hours and never started her shift. Thomas caught her before she clocked in. "Don't bother, go home. I called Jackie and she was happy to work your shift for you. Thank you for driving him, he hasn't had an episode like that since he started working here."

"What happened to him? Why did he react like that?" She was very concerned about him now.

" It's not my place to tell you. That's his decision, I don't know a lot of details anyway. All I know is that there's something wrong in his head. He had a horrific childhood and he's spent time in mental health facilities on and off as an adult. He's been seeing Dr. Harrison for fifteen or sixteen years, and he's been doing real good the past three years, but something must have happened recently."

"Thank you, I think I will. Dr. Harrison is going to call me when he's better, she thinks he'll want to see me."

"Okay, be careful going home," the manager told her and went back to his office. Just as she was getting into her car, she heard someone calling her name, it was Gareth and he was running towards her.

"Hey, where are you going? Aren't you going to take over the rest of your shift?" he asked her, trying to catch his breath.

"No, Thomas told me to go home. Jackie is gonna do the whole shift for me," she replied, getting into her car.

"So how's deranged Dixon? He ever calm down?"

"Don't call him that, and the doctor gave him a sedative so they could get x-rays. He'll be okay."

"I told you he was fucking nuts. How he reacted? That's not normal Kristin. He's violent and you need to stay away from him."

She stepped out of the car and got in his face. "It's seems to me that the goddamn lid wouldn't have fallen if you had fixed the fucking hinge like he asked you to. This is on you Gareth, and he may be the craziest, most unhinged motherfucker on the planet, but he deserves to be treated like a human being! He's gone through a lot of shit in his life and he doesn't need yours!" She got back in her car and sped off, leaving him standing in the parking lot angry and vengeful.

 

She thought about Daryl on the way home. She felt sorry for him. He reminded her of a guy she new in high school who was in the special education program. He tried so hard to be liked and included in activities, but no one gave him a chance. He was always alone and the cool kids always made fun and humiliated him. That poor boy committed suicide the night before their graduation.

Daryl wasn't like that, his issues were inside his head, from what she understood. A bad childhood, depending on the degree of bad, could cause any number of mental illness' to appear. He needed a friend, someone he could trust, someone to show him kindness. She tried to be that person. He had been kind to her and she owed the same to him.

 

Kristin's phone rang at eight o'clock, it was Dr. Harrison calling to give her an update on Daryl. "He's doing much better and has been asking to see you. I told him that you had to go back to work, he understood that. I think you and I need to talk before you see him." 

"Alright, I'll be there in twenty minutes." She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Andrea was smoking a cigarette outside the ER when she pulled in. "I'm starving, are you hungry?" she asked the redhead as she walked up.

"Sure," Kristin answered.

"Let's go to the cafeteria. The food isn't too bad and it will give us a chance to talk." She followed the blond down the hall. Once they had their trays and found a table, Andrea started the conversation.

"He likes you Kristin, he likes you a lot. And I need to know what kind of relationship you have with him," the doctor asked point blank.

"We're co-workers, and friends I guess. He's a real sweet guy, always eager to help me. He talks to me a lot, seems to be very smart. He's a little awkward, but that doesn't bother me. He is who he is and I'm sure there are good reasons for that."

"Yeah, very good reasons. Do you feel comfortable around him? Do you feel safe or scared when you're alone with him?"

"I usually feel fine around him. There are moments when I get a little weirded out by things he says. It's like he's having a conversation in his head and blurts out something. But that's because of his illness, right? That's something he can't control."

Andrea ignored her question, "Has he ever said or done anything inappropriate? Has he ever touched you?"

"Well, yes. He's touched me a couple times. A couple days ago at work he put his hand on my arm and then last night he tried to give me a back rub."

"Where were you when he gave you the backrub, and how did you react?" Kristin was beginning to think she was being interviewed by the CIA.

"We were at my house. I've had a cold and he bought me some herbal stuff. He followed me home and showed me how to make it. I was breathing steam and he started rubbing my back. I told him that he needed to go home. I said that I knew he needed sleep and I was worried about him"

"How did he react to that?"

"He was upset at first, until I told him I was worried about him. He accepted that and was okay then. That's when he gave me the necklace."

"He gave you a necklace? Did he say why?"

"It's a hemp necklace, said he wanted to get me something pretty." Andrea was quiet for a few minutes and finished her plate of food. 

"Okay, thank you for talking to me and answering my questions. He's been my patient for a long time and I'm always concerned for his well being. I don't want him putting himself in a potentially harmful situation. Lets go see him."


	7. Chapter 7

Daryl woke up when he heard the door to his room open. He had been asleep for at least a couple hours and was feeling better, both physically and mentally. He was having a moment of clarity and remembered what had happened earlier with the dumpster, and his outbursts. Dr. Harrison walked in with Kristin behind her. "Oh good, you're awake. How do feel?" she asked him.

"I feel better, not having any pain no more. When can I go home?"

"Tomorrow, I have to talk to the ER doctor first, but if I say you're good to go, he'll let you." Kristin was standing back a bit letting the doctor speak to her patient."Look who I brought with me."

Daryl looked up and Kristin was looking back at him with worry in her eyes. "I'm glad you came back," he said extending his hand to her. "I want to apologize for scaring you, I don't ever want to scare you."

She stepped to the side of the bed and took his hand. "It's okay Daryl. As long as you're alright, that's all that matters."

"Can you stay for a while?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, but just for a little bit. Jackie took my shift for me tonight, so I'm going to work hers in the morning."

"You gonna do hers and yours? That's too much, I don't want you working that hard, you'll get sick again." He moved his hand to place it on her cheek but she stepped back. 

"I'll be okay. I could use the extra money anyway. You don't have to worry about me Daryl, just get better." Andrea stood from the bed, "I need to get home. I have appointments starting at eight in the morning. I need some sleep. I'll tell the front desk to call me if you need me Daryl, and Kristin, you too. Call me if you need to, I'm here for you as well."

After Andrea left, Kristin sat in the recliner next to the bed. She was curious and confused as to what was going on with Daryl and decided to ask him some questions. " Can I ask you something?" she said.

"You can ask me anything. I'll never lie to you or keep secrets from you." He was sitting up now, looking at her intently.

"I'm confused, you did scare me today. I know now that you're seeing a psychiatrist and that doesn't bother me. I've known a few people who have seen shrinks before, that's not a big deal. But I think if we're going to be friends I'd like to know what is going on. If you feel comfortable telling me about it, if you don't right now, that's okay , but I need to know."

Daryl huffed, "I guess I owe you an explanation. I never wanted you to see that. Nothing like that has happened in a long time, but I haven't felt that kind of pain in years. It made me remember stuff, bad stuff."

He had a faraway, hollow look in his eyes. It was haunting, and made Kristen's heart break. "My daddy was real mean, to me and momma. He used to beat us bad. I had a brother, but he was dead before I was born. Lot of people said daddy had beat him to death. He started in on me when I was about five or so, went on like that till I was eighteen. He died in a road rage incident. He put me in hospital a few times, couple times it was real bad, almost died. He punctured a lung, and almost fractured my skull. I was in a coma for three weeks. Nobody thought I was gonna make it. He killed momma when I was ten, set the house on fire to cover it up." He stopped talking for a while, she could tell he was reliving every moment in his head. 

"I got PTSD, that's the worst of it. I got side orders of depression and anxiety, and sometimes I hallucinate, but I haven't done that in four or five years. I'm on medication and I take it exactly the way I'm supposed to. I see Dr. Harrison once a month at her office, but sometimes we'll meet for lunch if I need to talk." He had avoided her gaze while he was talking, but now looked up at her. Her eyes were red and wet. He felt bad for putting all of this on her. He thought it was too soon to reveal this much, but she had asked, and he didn't want her to leave him because he couldn't open up to her. If she left him, he would jump down the rabbit hole head first.

"Oh dear god Daryl! I'm so sorry you had to go through that! I don't know what to say." She wiped her eyes, it was the most tragic thing she had ever heard.

"Don't cry baby, I'm alright, for the most part." He got out of bed and knelt in front of her. "I survived and I'm gonna keep surviving, for you. You're my reason to live Kristin. I heard what you told Gareth the other day in the stockroom and I want you to know that I feel the same way. I'm in love with you too, and I'm never letting you go."


	8. Chapter 8

When Kristin got home that night, the first thing she did was boil some water for steam and tea. She would call Dr. Harrison in the morning to see if she would have time to talk. She had left the hospital soon after Daryl's declaration of love, and now she felt mixed up inside. She wasn't scared of him, but the way Dr. Harrison questioned her about him she was beginning to think maybe she should be. He said he was in love with her, that he felt the same way about her that she did about him. He thought she was in love with him. Normally she would just correct the misunderstanding and move on, but she didn't think that would be wise in this case.

 

Daryl laid awake on his back staring up at the ceiling. He knew that asshat didn't fix the hinge on the lid in the hopes that he would get hurt. Gareth had it out for him from day one. He had tried to convince Thomas not to hire him based on his history of mental illness. He had just gotten out of the hospital for the third time in his life. This time he had only been in for six months, the time before that was a year, and the time before that had been three years. He had been committed by Dr. Harrison when he was nineteen, it was her first official act as his new psychiatrist. In retrospect, the hospital had been the best course of action, it was either that or prison. Everyone involved was well aware of his past and the confirmation of PTSD did not surprise anyone. The miracle of the whole situation was that Daryl was indeed the sole survivor of the Dixon family. His brother Merle, his mother and finally his father had all succumbed to a curse that Daryl had somehow escaped. Daryl didn't think he was the lucky one though. His entire life had been torture, physical and now mental. That job, no matter how demeaning it was, had kept him out of the hospital and living with the general population for three years now. He was almost thirty four years old and was bagging groceries. He didn't have a high school diploma, not even his GED. Dr. Harrison had tried to get him to take the test for years now, but he refused saying that it wouldn't make a difference. Once people new he was mentally ill the question of education would never be asked.

He had scared Kristin with his insane outburst and ramblings. He could kill himself for that. She seemed okay tonight though, she had let him hold her hand and touch her face. Then she asked him the question, the one he knew would be coming. He owed it to her to be honest, how could he expect a relationship to grow if there were secrets. He was afraid she would run away from him if she knew, but she didn't. She cried for him. Most people felt one of two things for him, pity or disgust. He saw neither reflected on her face. She was crying because the thought of him being hurt, hurt her. He could tell how much she loved him and told her that he knew. He told her he had heard her say it to Gareth and that he was in love with her too. She had been so happy when he said it, as if she were afraid he couldn't love her the way she loved him. He had made her promise to come see him while he was recuperating. He was sure she would take good care of him like he had done for her.

He was very lucky that it had been his left arm that was broken and not his right, because he was getting hard. As soon as his cast came off, he would make his move with her physically. She would want to wait to make love, and he was fine with that, but he needed to touch her and feel her body against his. This would be the first night since he met her that he was not with her at night. He wouldn't be there to watch over her and keep her safe. He wouldn't be there to brush her hair or undress her for her shower. He wondered if he should call her, to make sure she got home alright and that she was drinking her tea and gargling, but when he looked at the clock on the wall, it was ten thirty at night. If she was working Jackie's shift she would have to be up early, so she was probably in bed already. He thought about being in her bedroom last night. He felt relaxed and comfortable there, he had seen it so many times from the outside, but being inside gave him a whole new perspective. He could see them together, kissing and touching each other. Her hands running up and down his chest and his lips on her neck. He could hear the moans coming from her and smell her arousal. He would strip her bare and lay her down. He would take her slowly and make her his.

 

The next morning, on her way to the store, Kristin called Dr. Harrison's office. Her receptionist Maggie answered the phone. "Andrea Harrison's office, what can I do for ya?"

"Hi, my name is Kristin, I'm a friend of Daryl Dixon's. I met Dr. Harrison yesterday at the hospital and she told me I could call her if I needed to talk."

"Of course," Maggie replied. "I was so sorry to hear about what happened. Have you talked to him this morning?"

"No, I haven't. I'm on my way into work. I'm working a double today to make up for missing my shift last night. I was hoping Dr. Harrison had checked up on him. Can you ask her to give me a call when she has the time?"

"I sure will. She'll call you back as soon as she can."

"Thank you. I'll be waiting for her call."

 

Kristin had been at work for two hours when Andrea called her back. She was just going on her first break and went outside behind the store to take the call. 

"Hi Kristin, how are you today?" she asked the cashier.

"I'm good Dr. Harrison, how are you?"

"I'm doing well myself. I'm surprised you called me so soon. Did anything happen last night after I left?"

"I'm not sure what happened. I asked him about his outburst yesterday and he told me about everything. His mother, father, and a brother. God, Dr. Harrison, is it true?"

"I don't know exactly what he told you, but yes, whatever it was is true. It's all in the court records and his medical records. What did he tell you?"

"His dad beat him and his mom, killed his brother, killed his mother, and almost killed him. He said it started when he was five and went on until his dad died in a road rage accident when he was eighteen," she said in one hurried breath.

Andrea waiting to see if she was finished before responding. "That's what happened, in a nutshell. He left out a lot of gory details, but that was for your benefit. There are things you don't want to know."

"He also told me he was in love with me. He thinks I'm in love with him too. He said he heard me tell Gareth, but I never said that. I'm not in love with him. What do I do? I'm sure telling him that wouldn't be a good idea right now."

"You're right. I'm picking him up from the hospital at eleven. We'll have an impromptu session. I'll see where he is mentally. I need to think about this, there is the possibility that in his state he could become obsessive. It would be a good idea for you to stay away for awhile. Don't initiate contact with him, but if he engages you then talk to him. I will call you when I have a better grasp on his current mental state. Thank you for calling and letting me know what happened."

"I just want him to be okay. He's still my friend and I'm worried about him."

"A friend is what he needs, but I'm afraid that he can't see the line between friendship and something more."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one, more to come!

Andrea wheeled Daryl out of the hospital at eleven thirty. Maggie was waiting in the car to take him to his house. Because of his circumstances, he lived in a low income housing development, no one knew about that except for Dr. Harrison, Maggie, and Thomas. He supposed Kristin would know soon too. He hated where he lived, but couldn't afford to change it. No one normal would want someone like him living next to their family anyway. He hoped that when he and Kristin moved in together, they would live at her place. 

With traffic it took almost twenty minutes to get home from the hospital. While Maggie got him settled, Andrea took a look around. The place was very clean and neat, the only thing it was lacking was food. "Daryl, when was the last time you bought food?" the doctor asked.

"Couple weeks ago I guess. There was some stuff at the store that was going out of date and Thomas let me bring it home at a discount."

"Well, you need food in the house. I'm going to send Maggie to pick up a few things for you and we can talk for a while. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you anyway," he replied.

"Write a list, enough that will last for the week. Maggie, use this. "Andrea handed her a credit card. Once Maggie was gone, Andrea sat on the couch next to Daryl. "Are you in any pain right now? Do you need one of your pills?"

"No. I don't want to take no damn pain pill. I take enough fucking pills , don't want anymore. They make me feel funny, can't think straight on those things," he told her.

"Alright, but if it gets too bad, I'm going to make you take one. What do you want to talk about?"

"I told her about everything last night. She asked me and I figure she's got a right to know. I don't want to lose her because I can't be honest with her. I can't lose her Dr. Harrison."

Andrea took a deep breath, "Okay, what did she say?"

"She cried," Daryl said. "It wasn't because she pitied me either. It was because knowing what happened to me made her heart hurt. She loves me so much Dr. Harrison. I never had that before and I'm afraid I'm gonna scare her off." 

"You won't scare her off if you can keep yourself in check. Are you doing the relaxation techniques we talked about the other day?"

"Yeah, I watched that goldfish video the other night. I was asleep before it was over. Slept all night long too, got some good rest. I wasn't late for work yesterday. Didn't sleep too well last night though, I couldn’t shut my mind off. I couldn't stop thinking about stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" she asked.

"Kristin, mainly. She kissed me the other night, when I took her the herbals that I got for her cold, and she let me give her a back rub."

"Have you done anything more that kiss?" she asked him.

"Oh god no, not yet. She wants us to take it slow. When she's ready I'm gonna do it up right. It's gonna be candles and flowers and romance and all that shit. I want it to be perfect. She deserves perfect. I'm gonna treat her like a queen." He hesitated for a moment before he continued. "She let me see her though, getting ready for her shower. She let me watch her undress." He blushed crimson. "It made me hard, but she didn't laugh at me or nothing."

"That's good Daryl. It seems she feels very comfortable around you., but you've only known each other for a couple of weeks. Don't you think professions of love are jumping the gun a little. If she wants to take it slow, she started off pretty fast. Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"I hadn't thought about that, but it don't matter to me. She's meant to be with me. Don't matter how fast or slow we go, that ain't gonna change."

 

When Maggie got back from the store, she and Andrea fixed lunch for all of them, and before they left made Daryl promise to call if anything happened or if he needed anything. When they finally left him, Andrea sighed with exasperation, "This is going to be a disaster if we can't get his thoughts under control. I checked his pill bottles and it looks like he's taking his meds, he's gonna need refills soon. He thinks she is in love with him, he thinks she kissed him, and he thinks that she let him watch her take her clothes of. He believes that she is meant to be with him. This can only end badly. I have to talk to her. We're going to the store, I have to do this in person." 

 

Daryl sat on the couch and slept for a while after Maggie and Dr. Harrison left. He smiled to himself as he thought about last night, no one had ever cried for him. She was the reason he had survived, she was the good thing he had always hoped for. He dreamt of her as he slept. They were in the woods by where he would hunt as a boy. It was night and they walked into a clearing by the river. He backed her up against a tree, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. " I love you Daryl. No one's ever loved me like you do."

"No one ever will Kristin. I know how to love you right. I know what you need, and I know how to give it to you." He pressed her body into the hard bark of the tree and kissed her, his tongue ravaged her mouth as his hands ripped the clothes from her body. The only time his hands left her was to remove his pants and then they were on her again. He licked and bit her skin from her neck to her chest. His fingers rubbed circles on her clit and her legs became weak. He lifted her up by her thighs and impaled her on his rock hard cock. She screamed his name as he thrust in and out of her at a punishing pace. The bark was tearing the skin on her back, but Daryl was oblivious

"You're so tight, so fucking wet. You're always wet for me, aren't you Kristin? Is this what I do to you? You're mine, your pussy is mine. It's just for me isn't it? I own you Kristin, I own this pussy. I want to hear you say it. Tell me who owns your pussy."

He was relentless, his hips thrusting faster and faster . His teeth latched on to her nipples and he pulled on it, ground his teeth around it. "It's yours Daryl, you own it. It belongs to you. Everything belongs to you," she whimpered. She screamed his name again when she came, her walls tightening around his cock and pulling his orgasm from him violently. He held her up and against the tree until his limp dick slipped out of her. When he released her and stepped back, she fell to the ground. He stared at her back, a bloody roadmap like his own.

He woke up with his pants full of cum. He remembered only parts of his dream, pounding her into the tree and her screaming his name mostly, but he felt strange. Something had happened in the dream that he didn't remember and he was uneasy about it. He ignored that feeling and concentrated on the way his dick felt inside her. This was a dream she would be excited to hear about. He would text her after he cleaned himself up.


	10. Chapter 10

Andrea and Maggie arrived at the grocery store as Kristin was going to lunch. Since she was working a double shift, she could take an hour instead of the normal thirty minutes. The three women went to the break room to talk.

"How is he?" Kristin asked as they sat down.

"He isn't in any pain right now, so that's good, but I'm worried about him," Andrea told her.

"Why? What happened?" Kristin asked.

"He's having delusions. I need to verify some things he told me. Would you be willing to do that?"

"Of course, what did he tell you?"

Andrea took a deep breath. "He said that you kissed him the other night at your house, that you let him give you a back massage . . . and he said you let him watch you undress."

Kristin was stunned. She didn't know how to react or what to say. "What?"

"You told me about the attempted back rub, but did any of those other things happen?"

"No! The only time he's ever been in my house was the other night. I took a shower while he was in the kitchen, and I kept the doors closed. He couldn't have seen me."

"Okay," Andrea said, "he was left alone inside your house. Have you noticed anything missing?"

This was starting to scare the shit out of her. "No, nothing's missing. Nothing obvious anyway."

"He wouldn't have taken anything obvious, it would have been something small or something you wouldn't notice right away. Did he leave anything of his there? Anything personal?"

Kristin thought for a while and then said, "The only weird thing I found was some black dog hair on the floor in my bedroom. My dog is sandy blond, I figured she picked it up from another dog, but that's it."

"He was in your bedroom Kristin. The black hair was his. He left it for you so you would have a part of him because he took something personal of yours. That's the way it works. He wanted a part of you and gave you a part of him in return."

Kristin suddenly felt very nauseous. "What should I do?"

"When you get home tonight, check your room, every square inch." She took out one of her business cards and wrote her cell number on the back. "When you figure out what's missing, call me."

Kristin took the card and slipped it in her pocket with her phone, which promptly vibrated when she touched it. Her heart stopped when she saw it was a text from Daryl.

\---Hey beautiful. I'm thinking about you. Call me when you get the chance. I can't wait to tell you about the dream I had about us.---


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Easter egg for my sweet Bella. Can you find it?

"He's expecting you to be busy, that's good. He's not demanding you call him now and he didn't call you directly." Andrea was reading the text that Daryl sent. "Wait until he texts you again, then respond."

"What the hell am I going to say to him?" Kristin said. "I don't think I want to know about his dream."

"I need you to go along with this right now. I'm going to make some phone calls, we may have to have him admitted to the hospital again."

 

Gareth saw Kristin and the two women go into the break room and listened by the door. He knew he was right. Dixon was off his rocker, and he was gonna get rid of that motherfucker if it was the last thing he did. He went to the front office to tell Thomas that he was going to lunch. He had a few errands to run and might be a little late getting back. The man didn't give a shit, as long as Gareth was out of the store, things would be peaceful for a while. He had gotten the maniac's address from the W-2 form in his employee file and put it in his GPS. Seven minutes later he pulled onto a street with worn down houses. Section Eight if he ever saw it, he wouldn't have expected any better where Dixon was concerned.

He parked in the driveway and confidently walked up to the door. He banged on it hard enough for it to rattle. "Dixon! I know you're in there! Answer the goddamn door! We need to talk!" He stood there for a couple minutes before he hit the door again. "Don't make me call the police on your crazy ass."

Daryl was inside, standing on the other side of the door, hoping asshat would give up and go away. He didn't want to have a confrontation with him, he was furious and pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to control himself if he opened the door. "Go away asshat. It'll be the smartest thing you'll ever do."

"Oh no, you open this door now or I'm gonna break it down. I'm not gonna let you get away with this shit." Daryl flung the door open so hard that it hit the wall with a crack, punching a hole in the drywall.

"You better step back motherfucker. I. Will. Kill. You." Daryl said, calmly. Gareth paid no attention to him and pushed the man back into the house. 

"I'm not gonna let you hurt her Dixon. She doesn't love you, how could she? How could anyone? You're a piece of shit. You're insane if you think she would ever touch you or let you touch her. I'm gonna make sure you don't ever set foot in that store again and I'm gonna convince her to take out a restraining order on your pathetic ass."

Daryl's vision blurred and his mind went blank. He lunged at the man, knocking him to the floor. Pouncing on him, Daryl pummeled his face to oblivion. "You have no power over me motherfucker! Not anymore! Never again! You sick fuck! She loves me! She's mine and you can't have her, not again!" When Gareth was finally able to push Daryl off him, he scrambled out the door, bleeding profusely, and got in his Prius, driving away as fast as he could. Daryl laid on the floor of his living room, eyes clinched tight, his body shaking uncontrollably. He had a quick thought of getting on his bike and running that asshat off the road, but then he remembered his arm. He couldn't drive it with his arm in a sling. He laid there for what seemed like hours, finally he got up and grabbed his phone texting Kristin again.

\---When you see him tell him next time I will kill him. He's not taking you away from me again.---


	12. Chapter 12

\---I need to see you. Please, I need to hear your voice. I love you. Please be okay.---

Kristin stared at her phone. He hadn't really done anything bad to her. He had always been nice and friendly, she still thought of him as a friend. But she felt as though she didn't understand what was going on. She thought about all the things that Gareth had said, and Dr. Harrison, even the things that Daryl himself had said. What frightened her the most were things he supposedly did. Going into her room, taking something of hers, something personal, and leaving something of himself. The more she thought about the hair, the more she realized that it was true. It was softer than dog hair and that had occurred to her for only a moment before she dismissed it. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to talk to him. Maybe he would be able to clear things up and help her understand. The texts he had sent her were cryptic, but she was sure there was a logical explanation for all of it.

Gareth suddenly rushed through the doors of the stockroom and punched his timecard. "Traffic was a bitch," he said to no one in particular. "Had to go to the damn bank and the drive thru line was around the building, there wasn't a place to park either, so I had to sit in my fucking car the whole time." He rushed around the room gathering boxes and putting them on a dolly. "Next time someone else is taking the damn deposit." He rushed out as quickly as he rushed in leaving Kristin in the corner of the room still staring at her phone. She had three more hours on her shift. It was a very slow night and Thomas had told her she could leave a couple hours early. She needed to respond to Daryl, he was sounding desperate and she didn't want him to worry. 

 

He was sitting in the dark, the only light coming from the screen of his cell phone. Three texts today and she hadn't answered one of them. He was worried about her. He was pissed at her. After everything they had been through she was ignoring him. What if Gareth had gotten to her? What if he convinced her to leave with him? He wouldn't let that happen again. He would kill any man who touched her. It wouldn't be the first time he had done that, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. He grabbed his jacket and his keys and set out to collect his woman. 

 

When she left the store to go home, Kristin heard noise back by the dumpster again. Someone was talking to themselves and she recognized the voice as belonging to Gareth. "Do you need some help?" she asked peering around the corner.

The man huffed in frustration. "No, I'll get it. Thomas is making me put new fucking hinges on the lid, so nobody else gets hurt." She walked closer to him to inspect his work. "Listen, I'm sorry I upset you yesterday. I don't like him, he's unhinged. He's obsessed with you Kristin and nothing good can come from that. I tried like hell to keep Thomas from hiring him, but the old man felt bad for him. I've never trusted him, but I shouldn't have been such an ass about it."

"Thank you, I understand how you feel. This is a difficult situation and I have to admit I'm worried. Thank you for looking out for me, I appreciate it. I'm going home to take a long, hot bath and relax. I'll see you tomorrow." She got in her car and decided that she would call Daryl when she got home.

 

Gareth was still working on the dumpster lid when he heard the roar of a motorcycle pull into the alley. Before he knew it, a hand was wrapped around his throat and dragging him backwards. "You tell me where she is you fucking bastard or I'll gut you right here." When his back hit the hard concrete, he looked up into the wild eyes of Daryl Dixon.

"Kristin went home you sick fuck. Thomas let her leave early because it's slow tonight. You don't need to be around her anyway. She doesn't love you. You need to leave her the fuck alone."

Daryl kicked him in the side. "If I find out you touched her, I will kill you. She belongs to me. She loves me. You may think I'm a worthless piece of shit, but she doesn't, and you're not taking her away from me again." He lifted his foot and brought it down hard on the man's knee. As Gareth screamed in agony, Daryl turned around and walked back to his bike. As he mounted up, his phone chimed.

\---Daryl, we need to talk. Call me.---

 

On her way home, Kristin called Dr. Harrison on her cell phone to tell her about the two additional texts she received. "I'm going to tell you some things about him, I think we're at the point of no return and this might help you help him," Andrea said. "When he was eighteen, he dated a girl named Emily. He didn't tell anyone about her because he knew his father would have hurt her. One day she went to his house to meet him. His father had been out on a bender for weeks and he wasn't expected to be home, but he was, and Daryl wasn't. When he got home that night, his father had beat and raped her. Daryl lost his mind and attacked his father. The girl somehow managed to escape during the fight, but his father stabbed him and ran off. He was able to get on his bike and follow his father, eventually running him off the road into a ditch. The man was thrown from the vehicle and died on impact. Daryl doesn't remember a thing, not even about the girl. I think subconsciously, he sees her in you. He doesn't actively remember her, but his mind does."

Kristin began to cry, "Do you think he wants to hurt me?"

"No. He wants to save you. Based on his text messages, he believes someone is going to hurt you or take you away from him. He's going to hurt someone else. We need to find out who it is that he perceives is a threat. When you get home call him, see if you can get him to tell you what he's thinking."

"So you're sure he wouldn't hurt me?"

"He would hurt himself before he hurt you. You have to let him believe this is real. You have to convince him that what he wants and believes is true. I'm going to call a colleague of mine who was his psychiatrist the last time he was committed. He may need to be admitted again."


	13. Chapter 13  "The Crescendo"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I want to thank everyone who gave this story a chance. Thank you for all the kudos, comments, bookmarks and reads. I didn't think anyone would read it, and I am pleasantly surprised, and flattered. This has been as difficult to write as I have heard it is to read. This is a big chapter, one I hope does not disappoint. Please know that this is not the end, I would never do that to him, or to you, or to myself. Those of you who have commented know that I have put my heart and soul into this story and want Daryl to have a happy ending too. This is not the end for him. New tag. Please don't hate me. *runs and hides*

Daryl drove straight to Kristin's house. He passed the speed limit long ago and was only concerned with making sure she was safe, he would outrun a cop if he had to. Her dog started barking wildly when he heard the rumble of the motorcycle, but Daryl paid no mind to it. He used the key that Kristin had given him to let himself into the house. Everything was quiet as he made himself at home, taking a Coke from her refrigerator. When he entered the hallway he could hear the washing machine and made his way to the laundry room.

She was sitting in a folding chair in front of the large machine. Her face was in her hands and it sounded like she was crying. "Baby please don't cry," he said as he stepped into the room. She jumped out of the chair, startled by his voice.

"What are you doing here Daryl? How did you get in?" she asked, her voice and body shaking with fear.

"You text me, remember? You said we need to talk, so I came right over. I've been worried about you all day. You didn't return my messages and you weren't at the store when I went to see you. I thought he had hurt you again. I thought you were mad at me because I let him hurt you again."

He was moving toward her as he spoke, eventually backing her up against the washer. "How did you get into the house Daryl. I locked the door."

He cupped her face in his hands, "I used the key you gave me silly girl. You forgot you gave me a key? I kinda have to have one if we're gonna be living together." Her heart stopped beating when he said that. "Let's go to the living room so we can talk. We have a lot of plans to make." 

She tried to remain calm and remember what Dr. Harrison had told her to do, but her mind was racing. "Can I ask you some questions? We still don't know each other very well and if you're going to be living here with me I don't want there to be any surprises. I'll answer any questions you have too."

They sat on the couch and he pulled her into his arms. "Of course darlin'. You can ask me anything."

Oddly enough, she felt safe in his arms, they held her tight. She closed her eyes and briefly wondered if she could be with him, if being with him would make him alright somehow. If she could fall in love with him and he be well again, would it be worth it? She thought that there had to be a time in his life when he was well, before the abuse, before he hit the point of no return.

"Did I show you around the house? You know where everything is, right?"

"Yeah, you showed me the other night when I brought the herbals by. You went to take a shower and gave me a tour." He ram his fingers down her side and looked into her eyes. " We ended up in the bedroom." 

She shuttered, and closed her eyes again. His touch was gentle, but she didn't feel anything. It made her sad that she was unable to love him the way he wanted her to. "I'm sorry, between what happened to you yesterday and working a double today, my mind is playing tricks on me. I'm forgetting things."

"I know what that's like. It happens to me sometimes too. You don't have to worry, I'll repeat myself a million times if I have to. I won't get upset with you."

"Thank you, that means a lot." She looked at his silky, black hair and touched it, she noticed a spot that looked as if it had been clipped recently. "Is this where you took it from?" 

He liked the feeling of her fingers through his hair, "Yeah, did you like it? I would have put it in a locket for you, but I'll buy you one. You can put a picture of us in it too." He noticed she was wearing the hemp necklace that he bought, and reached out to touch it. His fingers ghosted over her collarbone. "It looks beautiful on you."

"Thank you. No one's ever given me anything like this before."

"I just want you to know how much I love you. I've loved you since I first saw you. I'll love you till I die." He leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him.

"You said you had a dream about us today. Tell me about it."

"Shit, can't believe I forgot about that. We were walking in the woods by where I used to hunt. I made love to you. You told me you loved me, that you'd never love anybody else." He closed his eyes reliving what he remembered. He leaned in again and this time was successful with his kiss. He moved his lips against hers with passion and purpose. Her mouth opened when he brushed his tongue against her bottom lip and he dove in hungrily. He moved his body forward, laying her down on the couch. She tasted like heaven and he had waited so long for this.

She was finally able to push him off her, they were breathing heavily and she sat up. " I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, you didn't hurt me. You just took me by surprise." She stood up and walked into the kitchen. He followed her. "Are you hungry? I haven't eaten much today. I could fix some dinner for us."

He came up behind her and spun her around. "Did I scare you? You don't have to be afraid. I may not be all there in the head sometimes, but I would never hurt you. I'm not like him. You always loved it when I kissed you and held you. You don't trust me anymore, do you?" He looked dejected. This was getting to be too much for Kristin. She needed to call Dr. Harrison as soon as possible. She knew Daryl could sense her unease and she needed to get her shit together before he flipped the fuck out on her. 

"I do remember Daryl, I do still trust you. I'm not scared of you, I'm just tired. You've always been good to me, and I don't want you to worry about me. I have a lot on my mind right now."

"Like what baby? I want to help you." He let her go and watched as she took a box of pasta out of the pantry.

"I've lost something and I'm confused. There's only one place it could be and it's not there. It was my favorite."

"What did you lose sweetheart? I'll help you find it." She didn't know where it was, but she suspected who would. She walked up to him cautiously and put her arms around his neck.

"My red bra and panty set, the one that matched my hair. I put it in the hamper the other night and when I went to do laundry tonight, it was gone."

"Is that why you were crying when I got here? There's no need to cry about that. Stay right here, I'll be back in a second." He rushed out the door and Kristin took her phone out of her pocket, dialed Dr. Harrison and sat it on the counter. He was holding something behind his back when he returned. "Guess what I found?" He showed her the lingerie that he had stolen from her.

"Did I give you that and forget about it?" she asked feigning confusion.

"Let me refresh your memory sweetheart." he said and wrapped his arms around her body. "I brought you home, like I always do. You invited me in and took me to your bedroom. You let me brush that beautiful, long hair and then you asked me if I wanted to watch you take your clothes off. You looked so fucking sexy in this," he held it up in front of her. "Put it on for me. I want to see you in it again."

"Daryl, I have to fix dinner. I'm starving, remember? I'll wear it for you tonight, I promise."

"Fuck dinner," he said and put his hands on her ass, pulling her into his erection. "I want you. I want us to make love like we used to, the way we did in my dream. You always loved the way I fucked you." His lips were on her neck and he was grinding his hard dick against her lower stomach. " I waited for you to come back to me. It's been so long. You're the reason I'm still here, I'd die without you. Please Kristin, let me make love to you."

She began to squirm in his embrace trying to get free. "Daryl stop. Please. I can't do this. We can't do this. I don't love you."

He froze when he heard those words. "What did you say?"

"I don't love you Daryl. I'm sorry. You've been nothing but kind to me, but I'm not in love with you. I'm sorry."

He let her go and stood back. His eyes were dark and his body was shaking. "You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY! YOU LYING BITCH! YOU LET HIM GET TO YOU! DID HE TELL YOU TO DO THIS? TO STRING ME ALONG AND HUMILIATE ME?" He walked forward, pushing her body back against the counter. He put his hands on her cheeks. In an unsettlingly calm voice he said, "He's dead, I killed him. He came to the house today and told me he was gonna take you away from me. I couldn't let that happen. I beat the fuck out of him. When I went to the store to find you, he was there. I killed him, for you. For us. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore. We can be together forever."

Kristin was shaking and crying. "Please don't hurt me. I'll do whatever you want, I promise. Please don't hurt me."

He smiled at her. "I won't ever hurt you. Do you love me?" She shook her head, scared to say the word. Outside she could hear cars approaching and sirens blaring. He kissed her lips gently and leaned over the counter, brandishing a steak knife. He took two steps back. "I would never hurt you. You are the only person who has ever shown me kindness. I just wanted to be loved. Why couldn't anyone love me?" He laid the blade against his wrist and sliced through.


	14. Chapter 14  "The Reveal"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one. Hope it helps.

Andrea was at the nurse's station talking to Carol. She had been Daryl's private nurse for years. Each time he had been committed, she was always assigned to his case. His wound was healing, but he had been put in a medically induced coma for a week. His body and mind were breaking down and it was a last ditch effort to ensure he would heal. Today they would be bringing him back to the land of the living, and although it would take hours for him to wake up, they wanted to be by his side when he did.

Later that afternoon, as Andrea was in her office she received a call from Carol saying that he was beginning to wake. She ran down the hall and onto the elevator that would take her to the fourth floor. When she arrived at his door, she could hear him. He was confused, angry, and talking nonsense. She rushed into the room and told everybody to get out. When they were alone in the room, he started crying.

"Oh God! What did I do? Why am I here?"

Andrea sat on the side of the bed and rubbed his back. "Daryl, you tried to kill yourself, you slit your wrist. Do you know why?"

Sniffing and hiccupping he said, " She told me she didn't love me. I didn't have a choice, I can't live without her anymore."

"Okay Daryl, tell me what happened."

She handed him a box of tissue and he wiped his eyes and nose. "I kept texting her, but she never text me back. I was scared, I thought he'd hurt her again. He was trying to take her away from me. I had to stop him this time. When I got to the store he was out back." He grew quiet trying to remember everything. "I killed him Dr. Harrison, I killed him."

"You killed who Daryl?"

"Gareth, he came to my house and threatened me. I couldn't let him get away with it."

"Okay, so what happened next?"

"She text me, said she wanted to talk to me. So I went to her house. She was having a hard time remembering stuff. I told her it didn't matter, I still loved her. She didn't want me to touch her. She said she didn't love me. I can't live without her Dr. Harrison."

"Okay Daryl. I need you to relax. Take a deep breath and listen to me. You have been in a medically induced coma for a week. It was decided to be the best course of action to help you heal. You took a razor blade and sliced your wrist open, luckily it wasn't deep enough for you to bleed out or cause nerve damage. I attribute that to your state of mind. For three weeks prior to your suicide attempt, you were in a catatonic state. You didn't eat, speak or sleep, and you didn't leave your room. Carol and I came everyday to talk to you, but you never gave us a response . Your asshole brother even came by a few times, but you didn't acknowledge him. Tell me what you remember, everything you remember."

Daryl was frantically shaking his head. "No, no, no. It was real. She was real. She came back to me. You're wrong. I need to see her, I need to tell her how sorry I am. Call her. I know you have her number, if you don't it's in my phone, please I need to see her. She has to forgive me."

"Daryl, you don't have a phone. I need you to tell me the whole story. Start from the beginning."

"I already told you about her. She's the new cashier at the store, she started two or three weeks ago. Her name is Kristin."

"You work at the store too?"

"Yeah, I bag groceries at her check out line. She's so sweet and pretty. She's real nice to me, but Gareth hates me and is trying to take her away from me."

"Gareth is the one you killed? Because of her?"

He started sobbing again. "I didn't mean to kill him, I swear! I was so angry and I couldn't stop." 

Andrea was still sitting next to him rubbing his back. "I'm so sorry Daryl. I wish you hadn't experienced any of that. I'll look into changing some of your meds. It may take a while, but we'll get you back. I'll order you a sedative, you're exhausted, you need sleep."

 

Daryl lay quietly in his bed at the mental health facility and cried. Carol said the sedative would start working in fifteen minutes, and he spent that time thinking about what Dr. Harrison told him. Apparently he had been living here in this room for the last six months and had only recently taken a turn. He couldn't wrap his head around it, he kept looking down at his left arm, without it's cast. He couldn't rationalize any of this and hoped that when he woke up the next morning, his head would be more clear. He fell asleep thinking about long, red hair and a golden smile.


	15. Chapter 15  The Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the journey with me. It was rough, but we all made it through with our sanity in tact, I hope. This is the last chapter, I hope it doesn't disappoint. I love you all.

It was two weeks before Daryl took the initiative to get in the shower without being forced. He felt better this morning. He was beginning to accept that the last month of his life had been a delusion. Dr. Harrison had changed his meds and they were finally getting into his system. Also, the existence of Merle was a harsh reminder that what he had thought was as real was not. His delusion had also brought many incidents to the surface, incidents that his subconscious had buried six feet deep.

The horrific abuse had been real, his mother's death as well. His mind had also retrieved the memory of a beautiful young girl with fair skin and chocolate eyes. He said her name for the first time in fifteen years. Emily. She had been his refuge and his savior. And his father had destroyed her. What happened to her had been the tipping point for him. His mind had shut down and he had been running on autopilot. That particular memory had not resurfaced yet, and he was forever grateful. 

He was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a black t-shit, and he was standing by the window looking out at the parking lot when Carol came in to check on him. "Wow Daryl, you're looking good this morning. I take it you're feeling better too."

"Starting to, still feel weird though. It's as if I lived an entire life that never existed. My mind is still trying to reconcile that, if it ever will." Carol stood next to him at the window and looked at him with love.

"Daryl, you've always been my favorite patient, and I've had hundreds in the last fifteen years. No matter what has happened to you, you've survived it and I admire you so much for not giving up. You're the only one who is still here, there is a reason for that Daryl, you have a purpose. You just have to find out what it is."

He smiled softly at her. "Thank you Carol. You take good care of me, and I appreciate it. I don't know what kind of purpose I could have, but thanks."

"There will come a day when someone will say that you are the light in their life. I know it Daryl, you have to believe that." He shrugged his shoulders and moved to sit in the bed. "There is something I need to tell you, and I was waiting until you felt better to do it." He inwardly cringed, but resigned himself to hear her out. He had been through too much and was too tired to protest. "I've told you about my husband Ed, right? He's a contractor and he's accepted a new job . . . in Chicago."

He sat there silently and didn't move. He thought that this was what she was going to say, but he didn't imagine her going so far away. "Congratulations. I bet y'all be excited to start fresh somewhere. It's more money too, I bet."

"Twice what he's making now. He said I could retire, but I think he was joking." She offered a quiet laugh and he smiled back at her.

"Can't replace you. They ain't gonna find nobody who can handle this like you. Nobody else would have the patience to deal with my crazy ass."

"Well, they have, and she starts tonight. I still have one week left, but I want to get her in here and started before I leave. You'll like her Daryl. She's kind and compassionate. I've already filled her in on your case and she's excited to meet you."

"Alright, if you say so. I trust you."

"Good," she said, and walked to the side of the bed. She pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. "You should. I wouldn't allow her to be your nurse if I didn't trust her. I'll see you later. I'll bring her by tonight and introduce you."

 

At seven o'clock on the dot, the door to his room opened. Carol came in and sat on the bed next to him. "Alright Daryl, I'd like for you to meet your new nurse." Almost shyly a woman wearing turquoise scrubs walked into the room. Her dark, red hair tied into a messy bun. She stood in front of him and extended her hand.

"Hello Daryl. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Krissy."


End file.
